To all my reviewers and followers, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Quanza, and Happy Holidays. I wanted to post this before Christmas, and it will be the last update before the new year, sadly.

I will try my best to post at least two chapters a month. Some changes include toning down Leonde's aggression to be more reserved while retaining some of his... I do not care what you believe attitude is.

Happy Holidays to all.

Lots of Politicking.

Rise of the Dragons

Chapter 4

Clashing of Power, Clashing of Wills.

Swords clashed as the clanging of metal resounded throughout Tronjheim. The Urgals attacked the three spirits with all their might, but it was to no avail. Without magical or silvered weapons, the blades did no harm to the forms of Gormlaith, Feldir, or Hakon. Gormlaith was having a blast as she used Unrelenting Force to knock back a swath of Urgals.

"For the Dragonborn!" she roared out laughing. Feldir and Hakon were also in a great frenzy. And as they slaughtered the Urgals coming out of the breech made in Tronjheim. Leonde roared out in such a tone that shook the entire fortress. Launching himself at Durza, he was in a battle frenzy. For calling forth the Aspect of the Dragon, brought forth his inner spirit. Awakening the raw power of his true self, which was of a dragon. Eldric Armor encased his body on top of Daedric armor, combined with the boost to his strength and defense against magic. Durza's hands were full.

The Shade and Leonde clashed in battle, swords spinning and twirling. The sheer power of Leonde's mind kept him from attacking him mentally. Every time the Shade attempted to batter down Leonde's mental defenses, he was instantly assailed by unrelenting rage and hatred. A blood lust that desired to destroy him. No quarter would be asked, and none would be shown inhaling Leonde shouted out at him as Durza struggled against the power directed at him.

ZUN HAL VIIK

Durza's sword and shield were torn from his hands as Leonde attempted to plunge one of his blades into his chest, through his heart. A single spell from Durza produced a sword of fire as he and Leonde once more engaged in battle. This was not a fight Durza could win. No, he was too weak. Most of his strength and power were used to control the Urgal army. To match his foe, he released that control. Feeling his strength return as it bolstered his strength, he met Leonde as an equal. Speed and strength against speed and power. Leonde clashed with Durza as the two danced around. With his sword in his right hand and spells in his left, he unleashed fireballs into the air that impacted the walls cracking and splitting them.

"Come here so I can rip your heart out of your chest!" Leonde roared as Durza unleashed a powerful fireball at the ground, more force than fire. It knocked Leonde back through the air into the wall bringing down the cracked and shattered stone and burying him completely. Durza's triumph was short-lived, sadly, as Leonde unleashed Unrelenting force.

FUS RO DAH

And that forced the stones around him to fly apart, shattering them further as Leonde roared in rage. Durza rushed at Leonde as he tried to take the warrior's head off. With his armor protecting him, Leonde raised his armored hand as the fiery blade was blocked on the top of the gauntlet, as Durza screamed in anger. "No Human or elf has the strength or power to match me! What manner of creature are you?!"

Roaring out, Durza leaped away from his enemy as Leonde rushed up, knocking the blade out, and once more tried to plunge his left sword into the chest and heart of the Shade. Durza twisted and turned inhumanly so that the Daedric blade simply cut across Durza's Chest, slicing through his armor. A thunderous booming sound came from the main gate as Saphira knocked the door open. Her armor was gone, and Thorn, Eragon, Murtagh, and Arya were with her. They could feel the raw power rolling off Leonde's form as he laughed coldly and cruelly.

"Don't you understand? It does not matter how much you struggle; before me, your strength is meaningless. You could not give me the slightest scratch."

Durza snarled and raged as he built up his energy; waves of dark magic rolled off him as he channeled everything into this one spell.

Lowering his head as Leonde started to walk forward toward Durza as the Urgals were being slaughtered. Now that he had relinquished his power over them, the spell that forced them to work together was gone. And as a result, Urgals from different clans were now turning on each other.

Feeling the terrible level of magic from Durza, Leonde laughed softly as a large group of Urgals rushed at Saphira. The idea of slaying a Dragon was too good to pass up. A surge of Urgals rushed the Riders, distracting them, as Leonde said in an intense tone.

"Durza, I will give you but one word of advice.

He lifted his head, looking right at the Shade, power, and fury, making his helm's eye holes glow a furious blood red.

You shouldn't anger... a Demi-god."

As Leonde's head turned ever so slightly with his distraction at seeing Eragon and Murtagh being attacked, Durza acted. "JERIDA!" The sheer level of power and multiple globes of black energy swirled and spun around as they approached Leonde. Lifting his left hand up, Leonde cast a powerful ward spell, shielding himself in a sphere of protective magic that could block both magic and physical attacks. As the balls spun and merged into the center of their arc, they exploded. A black beam of magic raced straight up and impacted the Star Sapphire. Shattering the massive gem as razor-sharp pieces fell towards the ground, all of them angling and traveling in Leonde's direction. Forced to drop his other sword Leonde used his right hand to cast a second ward spell to strengthen his shield bubble. Durza roared menacingly, "This is the end, Dragonheart. Go to hell!"

Durza focused as the shards of the gem rained down around Leonde, curving around his protective ward. Durza was almost caught unaware by Eragon and Murtagh, who had managed to get past the Urgals to start fighting Durza. The shower of gem shards raining down kept Leonde in place as Urgals and Kull were shredded. Leonde could only watch in horror as Eragon and Murtagh fought Durza. Lashing out, striking as the Shade easily deflected their attacks and knocked Murtagh away with one strong attack. It forced Eragon into a stagger that turned him away from his enemy as Durza split his back open with his burning sword. Slicing him from his left hip to his right shoulder, Durza spoke a dark spell as Murtagh recovered just in time to see his little brother wounded.

Screaming in absolute rage, Murtagh lunged at Durza, who turned around and met Murtagh's sword as he roared. "I'll kill you for that!" Durza laughed as he taunted Murtagh.

"You'll be returned to Galbatorix where you will be come just like your father under my control!" he laughed. Leonde looked at Eragon, still holding the sword he had been given by Leonde, then screamed as he turned around and roared out.

Turning around as he looked at Eragon. "I will break you, boy!" Arya rushed in, knocking his sword away and stopping him from blocking as Eragon and Murtagh plunged their swords through Durza. Murtagh through his back, Eragon through his chest as the blade's enchantment to better penetrate magic broke the protective wards around his body. Both Eragon and Murtagh scream at the top of their lungs.

"BRISINGR!"

Leonde watched as their blades ignited into a Red and Blue blaze of fire as they plunged through Durza's heart. Durza screamed or tried to as a black liquid came from his throat, as his skin began to turn translucent. Then he exploded as Leonde watched three incorporeal beings flying around. Before they escaped through the walls of the fortress. And at that point, Eragon dropped his sword as he collapsed to the ground, with Murtagh rushing over to grab his younger brother, screaming for someone to help.

With Durza's death, the Urgals seemed to realize at least that they were being attacked by enemies; the Varden's forces began to rush into Tronjheim. The instinct of self-preservation took over as they began to dive and run into the hole where Durza made his breech into the fortress.

Despite being covered in cuts and slashes, Saphira rushed to the tunnel, opened her maw, and unleashed her fire. Sapphire blue flame rolled from her mouth as she roared out her intense anger. Unleashing every ounce of anger, hatred, and fury that she felt from Eragon being wounded into the tunnel turning the rocks glowing orange hot.

With Durza'ssSpell no longer controlling the shards, the remaining bits of the Star Sapphire fell around them like shards of glass. Arya used a magic spell to shield Eragon, Murtagh, and Saphira. Buried in a mountain of razor-sharp shards, Leonde's ward finally drained the last of his magical energies. And as the barriers collapsed, the shard pile caved in on him. Leonde began to push out, despite being buried under hundreds of pounds of razor-sharp shards. Leonde's Daedric Armor and the enchantments on them protected him from more severe injuries. He pulled himself out and stood on top of the pile; he unleashed a roar of absolute fury and rage.

As if some mighty dragon had been freed, Leonde's roar echoed throughout Tronjheim. Seeing Saphira with blood dripping from her scales and limbs, Leonde's first instinct was to dominate her, to show her who her superior was. Still, his human mind began to battle back those instincts.

Leonde had the same desires or instincts as Tamriel Dragons, the instinct to destroy and conquer. His human intellect fought to dominate and suppress it, making it sleep in his mind. Dragon Aspect, channeling his true self, fully awakened his soul, and now the dragon was fighting against the human mind. Still, Leonde was in control of himself, the object of his rage was gone, and as his magic returned rapidly, he lifted his hand up. A golden aura enveloped his hand as he fired a glowing golden orb at Saphira, healing her wounds. Looking down at the wounded Eragon, Leonde came to tend Eragon.

Hours later

The Urgal forces were being routed; Leonde had been attempting to help Eragon, despite the magical shield spell and protective magic. Durza had breached the enchantments around Eragon and wounded his back. Leonde's healing magic had closed the wound and stabilized Eragon physically.

But there was nothing more that he could do for Eragon. His mind was under assault; some remnant of Durza's mind had contaminated him. And it had isolated him from Saphira. Once Leonde was sure that Eragon was out of physical danger, he intended to leave. Allowing Angela to care for the Young rider. And to his pleasant surprise, Murtagh had refused to leave Eragon's side. Just as Saphira and Thorn stayed, Arya allowed her green dragon to remain with them while Eragon had healed. Leonde had also given Murtagh a duty to protect his brother from the Varden's political elements.

Arya had brought up what she had heard Leonde call himself with Ajihad and Hrothgar. The three of them confronted Leonde, and he gave them a straightforward explanation. "It's called Dragon Aspect. It allows you to channel all the strength and power of a dragon. The problem is you also have the mentality of a dragon. So yeah, while under its effects you might say or do things that are not in your real nature."

When Arya had told him that what he described was impossible, especially without some sort of link to a dragon. Which made Leonde give a very evil smile as he approached Arya, "You know something. You are absolutely right." This forced her to ask what that was? His reply only made things tenser.

"Well, you have something to figure out in your spare time." Leonde had turned his back to walk away so he could continue aiding the injured Varden as a sound made him stop. "Don't draw that sword, Ajihad, if you do I will not hesitate to cut you down where you stand." Reaching back behind as he reached for his own sword. Arya, Hrothgar, and Hrothgar's guards were ready to draw their weapons. It was someone unexpected who had come up to end the argument.

Orik and Nasuada, Ajihad's daughter and Hrothgar's heir, had come up to get between the parties. They had intentionally confronted Leonde in the more confined areas of Tronjheim, where Odahviing could not reach them. Of course, Leonde couldn't use Dragon Aspect again. Not until a full day and night past him by. He watched Nasuada get between her father and Leonde and Orik between Hrothgar and Leonde, respectively.

Watching Nasuada and Orik, Leonde looked to Ajihad and Hrothgar as he relaxed his hand on his blade hilt and let go as he said. When Leonde discovered Nasuada had disobeyed her father's orders, it gave him instant respect for the young lady. Her beauty, intelligence, and bravery had won her instant respect.

"What people don't understand they fear, what they fear they hate, what they hate, they destroy." Leonde's eyes burrowed into Ajihad's eyes as the pair of men. And Leonde's deadpan look slowly turned into a smile.

"You fear me assuming the throne in Uru'baen. That is what this boils down to." Leonde said.

"Well, let me put it to you this way, Ajihad. I have no desire or intent to assume the throne. I don't care if you believe me or not Ajihad. But I will if no one else is competent enough to assume the role. I am not about to dethrone one tyrant, just to allow another one to assume the throne."

That made Ajihad's eyes widen in aggression. "As for my plans... Yes, I have plans for Alagaesia." At this point, Nasuada turned around and asked as Leonde's cold icy gaze met hers.

"What are those plans?" She asked. Her voice was one of strength but held respect.

"That," and he paused, carefully choosing his words. "When Galbatorix falls, despite no doubt using the ancient language to ensure the loyalty of those who rule. His empire will collapse, and a new government must be established. My plans involve transcribing the structure of the Imperial Dragon Empire as a foundation for a new kingdom."

"You mean to have us subservient to your kingdom?" Hrothgar spoke out firmly.

"Do not put words in my mouth. The foundation my empire uses as the governing system has flaws, but it has lasted for over four thousand four hundred years. It has grown, changed, and evolved from the first, second, third, and fourth eras. For example, The Fighter's Guild and the Mage's guild. When this war ends, you will have towns and settlements plagued with raiders and marauders. Once you assume power, your armies and city guards can only answer some bandit attack or raider group that crops up. You will also have people who, once you win, will find their only skills are with a sword arm. The Fighter's guild will allow them to ply their trade while bringing in coins to feed their family by collecting bounties on such groups."

"The Mage's Guild will serve as a place where those with the talent and inclination can learn and study magic safely. If needed, provide assistance and healing to those in need in addition to helping handle threats only magic can manage should that crop up. But both groups have a clause in their charter that should the town or city they reside in come under attack, they must assist city guards."

Ajihad and Hrothgar listened with keen ears as Ajihad spoke first. "It would save us the time and effort of building something up from scratch, and we can disregard or adjust what we feel doesn't work or apply to Alagaesia."

"You don't think we haven't made plans for when we defeat Galbatorix have you?" Hrothgar's tone grated against his nerves as he spoke to Leonde.

"Of course you have; I am also willing to bet that involves just taking over the empire and working to change the system from within. Which I assure you is going to be more challenging than you can imagine. Trust me, I know that from experience because you will have areas that, when freed of Galbatorix, will be very insistent on being their own kingdom. "

"The documents and structure I prove can be used to help smooth that over. Or when you get them, you can learn from some of our mistakes and avoid them; or you can consign them to the flames."

Ajihad stroked his chin and said, "Galbatorix's defeat is long off, but it will give us much to consider. But we will need to council with the Elves and dwarves before making any final decisions. I am willing to learn and evaluate them based on what I see."

Then looking at Ajihad, he said. "Ajihad, word of caution don't ever draw a weapon on me, I don't react very well to it. If you will excuse me, I should continue to help heal the injured." At that point, Leonde said, taking his leave without permission.

That meeting with Arya, Ajihad, and Hrothgar left a very sour and bitter taste in his mouth for the rest of the day. As a result, he was out helping heal Varden's injured. As he was healing them, he noticed that Trianna was watching him, as were the rest of the mages. Many saw how he could cast spells without words and repeatedly heal severe and dangerous injuries. Healing them to the point where they were no longer life-threatening and could be treated with other methods.

Once most of the more seriously injured Varden were healed and the rest could recover on their own, he relaxed. Moved off to the side to watch things, and as he noticed Trianna and a few other members of the mages, Leonde began moving off and away. He could feel them following him as he moved inside and looked around. Following his instincts, he suddenly came upon Ajihad and Arya, who were taken aback. Leonde turned around when Trianna and a couple of their mages appeared.

At that point, Leonde lifted his hand up and came to call the three mages over with his armored hand. Leonde stood there, imposing, almost menacing, as he looked at them. Trianna began to approach as the other two hung back some. "You three had been watching me as I tended to healing the wounded after last night's battles. I saw you conversing with each other. Once I finished healing the Varden's soldiers you three chose to follow me. May I ask why?" Leonde's tone was very formal and respectful.

Her eyes looked at Arya and Ajihad as she cleared her throat and spoke. "I am Trianna as you know and I am part of the Du Vrangr Gata. The Wandering Path. We are mages allied with the Varden. After witnessing your displays of magic on the battle field last night, and while healing the injuries soldiers. We have come to extend an offer for you to join our group. As our new leader." She said, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of having Ajihad and Arya here.

With a simple nod, Leonde understood. "I see." He looked to Ajihad with a nod and explained. "Unfortunately, Ajihad, Arya, and I are having disagreements. For reasons, I understand, they do not trust me. I am terribly secret on the nature of my powers and abilities, for two reasons. The first, three people can keep a secret, if two of them are dead. And I do not want Galbatorix to learn of my secrets. I want my powers and abilities to remain an unknown factor. By now he already knows I stood against the Shade Durza as an equal. He knows my powers are not inconsequential."

"And the Second?" Trianna asked.

"The simple fact that neither Ajihad, Arya, or Hrothgar trusts me." As he said that, Arya and Ajihad hid their surprise well as he continued. "I do not think Ajihad nor Hrothgar would appreciate me joining your little Cabal without their consent. Much less teaching magics unknown even to the elves of Alagaeisa. But at the same time, those same magics would give you and the Du Vrangr Gata an edge over Galbatorix spies and assassins. With Ajihad's consent, I am willing to teach you and your fellow mages novice and apprentice-level spells. They should be well within your range of spell-casting abilities." Leonde could sense her outrage, but she kept it well concealed as Leonde asked.

"Arya, Do you know why the Twins betrayed the Varden?"

"Yes, they felt that they were not given the power, prestige, and riches they were due. They felt they should have been the rightful leaders of the Varden. And denied they contacted Durza." She said as Leonde took a step forward, his face impassive and impossible to read.

"If Ajihad consents to your request. I will teach you and the riders the spells and magic. Tell your fellow mages of this, and prepare a very well-thought-out appeal for Ajihad to agree. Was I in his position, I would initially deny it."

Leonde said. "Now I believe we are done," Leonde said with a tone of finality.

There was a pause to Trianna as she looked to Ajihad and bowed. "I will have it ready within a few hours, Sir." She began to depart.

Once Leonde was sure she and he companions were out of earshot. "You were looking for us, were you not?" Arya asked.

"I was," Leonde said as he looked at Ajihad. And Ajihad to Leonde. "Just because you don't trust me or like me. That doesn't mean I don't respect your position as leader of the Varden."

"You have been a soldier before." Ajihad said.

"Yes, A General in fact. Sworn and took orders from the Empress of Tamriel herself only. Make of that... what you will."

As expected, the appeal for this came from Trianna, but he also expected duplicity and deception. It took several days for Trianna to convince Ajihad; Leonde had already voiced his reasons for allowing it. It gave them an edge. Leonde wouldn't assist Trianna and told her that she had to convince Ajihad. During that time, Eragon had recovered, and he had been having trouble. The wound that Durza had given him had been cursed. And despite Leonde's healing magic and knowledge of curses resisted his attempts to break it. Leonde was loathed to involve alternate methods to break the curse for fear of doing more harm than good.

He had insisted that Eragon just rest, but after a few days, he had to get up and move around. Eragon had also expressed a strong desire to have Leonde and Odahviing travel with them to Ellesmere.

What surprised Leonde was that both Murtagh and Eragon were being called Shadeslayer. It was a name of prestige and pride for the pair; as expected, Murtagh had become much more protective of Eragon. Whenever Eragon over-exerted himself, his back would erupt in spasms and pain. So, for now, despite his attempts to help, he couldn't. As a result, Murtagh, Saphira, and Thorn stayed close. And despite some attempts by the Varden's council to assign their own guards, Leonde bluntly told them there was no better protector than one's kin. And he trusted Murtagh and Thorn with Eragon's safety more than he did with anyone else.

Something else Leonde had seen was how the Dwarves had been heartbroken when they discovered that Durza had shattered the Star Sapphire. He had only seen it briefly but also mourned its loss. And had debated with Arya about such a beautiful piece of artistry. Arya had been surprised that he had shed a tear over it. "When this war is over. If I still live... I may return here. Such master craftsmen I could return here and spend the remaining years of my life learning."

In the end, Ajihad had given in to Trianna's request, but he had made it clear that when the Riders returned, they would be in charge of the Du Vrangr Gata. As a result, the Riders, and their dragons, Ajihad, and Hrothgar, oversaw the education.

Leonde was surprised at how difficult it was for the Du Vrangr Gata and Arya herself to harness the magic. And the lessons from Leonde had taken about an hour, Eragon and Murtagh learned sooner than some members of the Du Vrangr Gata. Trianna, of course, was the most interested. And Leonde had, of course, made quite a speech as he said before giving them their lessons. Anglea listened and even complimented him on his approach.

"The Twins betrayed the Varden because of power. They felt that they were not given the proper respect and their due. I know what you all desire, and what you want is Power, Prestige, and Riches. Power is earned, and to obtain power. You must be willing to pay the price for such power. Sometimes that power is hard work, other times. You may need to pay a much steeper price. And sometimes, that price is very high. But that is for each of you to decide what you are and are not willing to pay."

"So here is what I say. You want power. Then I will give you power. You want prestige, I will give you prestige. You want Riches, You will have it. The price is your loyalty to the Varden. Be loyal to the Varden and I will teach you more spells upon my return. You will be the future of all magic in Alagaeisa, people will come to you to learn magic. For with you shall be the council of the Mage's guild. In my lands, There is a guild, The Mages Guild. The Mages Guild is a professional organization, located throughout Tamriel. It is dedicated to the study and application of magicka and alchemy, but has certain restrictions."

"Those restrictions in Alagaeisa may be different than in Tamriel. You will be the backbone of that guild. But you will have the freedom to practice and research magic. Even learn from each other. Your only other options are to betray the Varden and side with Galbatorix. Taking oaths of unbreakable loyalty in the Ancient Language. Making you his slave. His bitch. Is that what you all want? Just remember one thing when it comes to me. The one thing I do not tolerate or forgive...is willing betrayal."

Leonde was an extremely patient teacher who allowed the Riders and the mages to learn the magic. He did have tomes of magic. Arya was the most surprised of the bunch as they quickly discovered they could exhaust themselves. The new magic used a new form of energy that he had awakened in them, and they were not as in danger of injuring themselves when using this new form of magic.

Although when it came to casting times, Arya exceeded Eragon and Murtagh, who exceeded The Du Vrangr Gata. Leonde explained that as they practiced their skill with the magical energy he called mana. The spells would become easier to cast, needing less energy, and their power would increase. Explaining that they needed to practice with each other, not simple targets. Teaching all of them how to safely practice with each other.

Leonde showed them magic spells from what he called the Schools of Magic. Alteration, Destruction, Illusion, Mysticism, Restoration. As he taught them, Trianna had asked him about Conjuring spirits, as Leonde explained.

"The School of Conjuration is one of the most dangerous schools imaginable." And Leonde demonstrated as he summoned to form a strange creature, the creature that had a beak-like mouth filled with dagger-like teeth, with frill over the neck, and a lizard-like body that held sharp, wicked claws. The beast was a physical being as it moved around, hissing and growling. Snarling and clearly ready to attack anyone that dared come near it.

"When you use the Conjuration school of magic when you summon a creature. You are using magic to not summon summon a creature or spirit from the world around you. You are reaching into another world altogether."

Motioning to the creature. "This is a Clanfear, an animal, A Daedra. There are others called the Dremora; they are very intelligent, they can reason, and they can think. And they resent being summoned by mortal casters, much less serving one."

"So they are constantly trying to break free of your control. And you must have an experienced mind, and powerful will to keep the creature from trying to possess you, correct?" Trianna asked.

The answer surprised Arya and the others. "No, the spell, when you cast it, actually includes in the casting the summon the control spell. So if you have the energy to cast a spell, and cast it, the creature is automatically under your total control. You do not need to exert any more effort, that you would commanding someone to accomplish the task. No the real danger is from the creatures mind. You can actually talk to the Dremora. Ask it questions, learn things. But it can, it will trick you, one well known story was a young boy who used such a spell. He wanted to enchant a dress for his mother as a gift. The Dremora gave him a spell to use in the enchantment. And because of his inexperience in dealing with such creatures, when she wore the item. It killed her."

"The Conjuration school of magic," he said as he waved his hand to dismiss the creature he summoned. "It is a road to power. but one you have to travel most carefully. Travel it too fast. You could very well end up dead, or worse, wishing you were dead. Without me to help your education in the school constantly, something worse could come out of it."

"Worse?" Trianna asked. As it was Angela, who spoke up.

"You could end up attracting the attention of something so powerful it's beyond your ability to comprehend." Looking to Angela and then to Leonde as she asked.

"Like what?"

"Have you ever seen a hurricane, a tornado. Imagine something so destructive, given a body, a mind, and a will of it's own. There are creatures out there... even I, am hesitant to deal with. And if someone like me, who can stand against a shade, is willing to summon an undead dragon. That I am hesitant to deal with. You should be terrified to deal with."